S&W 625-3 model of 1989 .45 ACP

[S&WshooterFIN]

A spur of the moment purchase.

S&W 625-3 model of 1989 .45 ACP from 1989 (S/N: BEN34xx).
Apparently a little shot. It was dirty when I got it, but with a little oil and cleaning, it looks like this.
Ex owner had inherited the gun and would like to get rid of it. I decided to help out and take it.
S/N: BEN34xx

625 is rare here. Only one used can be found in gun shops in Finland. Asetalo.fi 625-4

Is there a production quantity of 625-3 4" somewhere?
What might be a realistic price in the US?

 

[CH4]

Congrats on a real prize Piece.

Seems i see fewer 4” 625-3s than the other barrel lengths; the 3” is probably the most sought after. A 4” with original grips, which yours has, but no box will go for probably $1100 to $1400 depending on condition and location. I have a 5” -2 and 3” -3, both with boxes and all the goodies. I had two 4” -3s, but stupidly sold them before I knew what I had.

Edit: just picked up this 5” -3. Scary accurate.

 

[S&WshooterFIN]

I haven't box or the goodies, only revolver with one moon clip.
I ordered 50 moon clips more

 

[PeteC]

That is quite a price, in your link(!!)
About $1200~$1300 in my area, (Midwest, USA). A little more, depending on grips and the underlug. Not very common at gun shows and in shops, so a fair price depends on what we see online.

 

[larondo]

My favorite N-frame! They don't come around very often.
I have a 5" "Model of 1988", which I think is a -2. Picked that up in 2019 for $800 + Tax & DROS.

 

[KurtC]

I think I owned pretty much every 625 model, back in the day.

The -2 had a floating hand and short bolt stop notches. Those were changed in the -3.

The 4" was the rarest, followed by the 3." I don't have specific numbers.

The -4 eliminated the flash chromed hammer and trigger. It added the current style rear sight. If there were any in 3" or 4," they were right few.

The -5 was .45 Colt. I had the Performance Center put an unfluted cylinder in one. Someone on this forum is the current owner.

The only one I have left is this -4, with a Performance Center barrel, cylinder and combat action tune. The fixed rear sight is from D&L Sports. The interchangeable front is both tritium and fiber optic.

 

[larondo]

625 -2 "Model of 1988"
Came w/ Pachmayr grips, added grooved/checkered Super Walnut, might be Altamont grips.
A LEO friend w/ a huge arsenal of weapons has the 4" version which spells "Model of 1989" on the barrel. I told him, if he ever wants to part w/ it, I'll take it. Unfortunately, he does not entertain the notion of doing so.
I had a 625 JM 4" w/ the slippery banana grip. Despite the trigger lock, that was the best shooting revolver I had, until I sold it. Still remember the serial #: 3355. Easy enough, right?

 

[TheTinMan]

Huh - I bought my 4” 625 quite a while ago and didn’t even know it was rare. Great gun!

 

[85win]

It looks like you got a very nice one. I noticed that the one for sale in Finland has a different rear sight which is very interesting. One of the funnest and most accurate guns you can own.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

That is quite a price, in your link(!!)
About $1200~$1300 in my area, (Midwest, USA). A little more, depending on grips and the underlug. Not very common at gun shows and in shops, so a fair price depends on what we see online.

Buy once.......Cry once........Then smile forever.

 

[ColbyBruce]

You did well

I bought mine used in the mid nineties for $250.00. I replaced the Pachmayr’s with combats. These are a joy to shoot.

 

[Jeep 1]

I bought mine used in the mid nineties for $250.00. I replaced the Pachmayr’s with combats. These are a joy to shoot.

Agreed!!! I love to shoot my 5”! It is one of the few non-magnums that I own…… come to think of it. It’s the only centerfire non-magnum that I own….. My wife maybe correct, I truly do need help….
Tom

 

[S&WshooterFIN]

Buy once.......Cry once........Then smile forever.

Buy once, smile forever for me this time.

When I heard that this was for sale, I thought it would be nice to own one .45 ACP revolver.
I offered to buy it before I even saw it, I heard it was 4" and stainless. I figured it might be a 625 then.
Only later did I realize what I found and bought.
I was surprised when a google search gave so little information. SCofS&W 4th Edition knew a little.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I haven't box or the goodies, only revolver with one moon clip.
I ordered 50 moon clips more

I buy bags of 100 from Brownell's. I have a little over 300, and keep two 50 Cal Ammo cans full of loaded moon clips! I have a Mooner and a de-mooner in every shooting bag!

I have 4 full moon clips loaded with My SD ammo, 230 gr Federal Hydra-shok. it shoots to the sights on my 1917 and the 625.

My 625 is a 5", dash 3 "Series of 1989" That I bought around 1998 or 99 (pre Y2K) for less than $300 OTD. In the 70's I had a Milled Webley I used Auto Rim cases in. Once full moons became available, I never used a single loaded 45 ACP again. 3-Sig 220's, 5-1911's and 2- S&W revolvers all in harmony and using the same ammo! (Plus a Marlin Camp 45!)

Ivan

 

[S&WshooterFIN]

I buy bags of 100 from Brownell's. I have a little over 300, and keep two 50 Cal Ammo cans full of loaded moon clips! I have a Mooner and a de-mooner in every shooting bag!

I have 4 full moon clips loaded with My SD ammo, 230 gr Federal Hydra-shok. it shoots to the sights on my 1917 and the 625.

My 625 is a 5", dash 3 "Series of 1989" That I bought around 1998 or 99 (pre Y2K) for less than $300 OTD. In the 70's I had a Milled Webley I used Auto Rim cases in. Once full moons became available, I never used a single loaded 45 ACP again. 3-Sig 220's, 5-1911's and 2- S&W revolvers all in harmony and using the same ammo! (Plus a Marlin Camp 45!)

Ivan

I would have bought from Brownells, but Brownell Finland doesn't have any .45 ACP clips, and they doesn't know when they will get more. It is difficult to get weapons supplies to Europe from the USA.

This is my third .45 ACP. In the 1990's I have had a 1911 Norinco, I sold it and bought a Glock G21. I still have the G21.
This was an impulse buy, but this might be my favorite revolver, maybe...

Now my pistols are Glocks and my revolvers are S&W.
Maybe I still want a metal frame S&W pistol, 9mm or .45 ACP.
Glock is the only true Tubberware

 

[S&WshooterFIN]

First time in in range and then cleaning

 

[jcelect]

625-3

You have a gun from the first run of the 625 "Model of 1989". The very first 625s were barrel stamped "Model of 1988" and they were a limited run quantity of 5708. They sold so well that S&W reintroduced them again but changed the barrel stamping. In the 625-3 guns the 5" was the normal production barrel length but they produced 3198 3" guns and 2980 4" guns. These were very popular in the IDPA shooting game. After a few seasons IDPA changed their rules and did not allow 5" barrel length guns. Many guns were cut and S&W changed the standard barrel length to 4".
jcelect

 

[S&WshooterFIN]

You have a gun from the first run of the 625 "Model of 1989". The very first 625s were barrel stamped "Model of 1988" and they were a limited run quantity of 5708. They sold so well that S&W reintroduced them again but changed the barrel stamping. In the 625-3 guns the 5" was the normal production barrel length but they produced 3198 3" guns and 2980 4" guns. These were very popular in the IDPA shooting game. After a few seasons IDPA changed their rules and did not allow 5" barrel length guns. Many guns were cut and S&W changed the standard barrel length to 4".
jcelect

THANKS

I have one of 2980

 

[S&WshooterFIN]

New grips

 

[DeafSmith]

I've got one around here someplace...


Yep 3 inch 625 and 2 inch 640!